Search results for: limit circle case

Authors: Chuchai Sujivorakul

Abstract:

This research focused on the study of various parameters of fiber itself affecting on the flexure of hooked steel fiber reinforced concrete (HSFRC). The size of HSFRC beams was 150x150 mm in cross section and 550 mm in length, and the flexural test was carried out in accordance with EN-14651 standard. The test result was the relationship between centre-point load and crack-mount opening displacement (CMOD) at the centre notch. Controlled concrete had a compressive strength of 42 MPa. The investigated variables related to the hooked fiber itself were: (a) 3 levels of aspect ratio of fibers (65, 80 and 100); (b) 2 different fiber lengths (35 mm and 60 mm); (c) 2 different tensile strength of fibers (1100 MPa and 1500 MPa); and (d) 3 different fiber-end geometries (3D 4D and 5D fibers). The 3D hooked fibers have two plastic hinges at both ends, while the 4D and 5D hooked fibers are the newly developed steel fibers by Bekaert, and they have three and four plastic hinges at both ends, respectively. The hooked steel fibers were used in concrete with three different fiber contents, i.e., 20 30 and 40 kg/m³. From the study, it was found that all variables did not seem to affect the flexural strength at limit of proportionality (LOP) of HSFRC. However, they affected the residual flexural tensile strength (fR,j). It was observed that an increase in fiber lengths and the tensile strength the fibers would significantly increase in the fR,j of HSFRC, while the aspect ratio of the fiber would slightly effect the fR,j of HSFRC. Moreover, it was found that using 5D fibers would better enhance the fR,j and flexural behavior of HSFRC than 3D and 4D fibers, because they gave highest mechanical anchorage effect created by their hooked-end geometry.

Keywords: hooked steel fibers, fiber reinforced concrete, EN-14651, flexural test

Procedia PDF Downloads 171

Authors: Linqing Ma, Huiling Feng, Jihong Liang, Yi Qian

Abstract:

In China, some villages have survived in the long history of changes and remain until today with their unique styles and featured culture developed in the past. Those ancient villages, usually aged for hundreds or thousands of years, are the mirror for traditional Chinese culture, especially the farming-studying culture represented by the Confucianism. Gaoqian, an ancient village with a population of 3,000 in Zhejiang province, is such a case. With a history dating back to Yuan Dynasty, Gaoqian Village has 13 well-preserved traditional Chinese houses with a courtyard, which were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is a fine specimen to study traditional rural China. In China, some villages have survived in the long history of changes and remain until today with their unique styles and featured culture developed in the past. Those ancient villages, usually aged for hundreds or thousands of years, are the mirror for traditional Chinese culture, especially the farming-studying culture represented by the Confucianism. Gaoqian, an ancient village with a population of 3,000 in Zhejiang province, is such a case. With a history dating back to Yuan Dynasty, Gaoqian Village has 13 well-preserved traditional Chinese houses with a courtyard, which were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasty. It is a fine specimen to study traditional rural China. Then a repository for the memory of the Village will be completed by doing arrangement and description for those multimedia resources such as texts, photos, videos and so on. Production of Creative products with digital technologies is also possible based a thorough understanding of the culture feature of Gaoqian Village using research tools for literature and history studies and a method of comparative study. Finally, the project will construct an exhibition platform for the Village and its culture by telling its stories with completed structures and treads.

Keywords: ancient villages, digital exhibition, multimedia, traditional culture

Procedia PDF Downloads 587

Authors: Ahokas Mikko, Taskila Sanna, Varrio Kalle, Tanskanen Juha

Abstract:

The present research aimed at the development of an energy efficient process for the concentration of starchy waste waters. The selected principle is mechanical vapor recompression evaporation (MVR) which leads to concentrated solid material and evaporated water phase. Evaporation removes water until a certain viscosity limit is reached. Materials with high viscosity cannot be concentrated using standard evaporators due to limitations of pumps and other constraints, such as wetting. Control of viscosity is thus essential for efficient evaporation. This applies especially to fluids in which due starch or other compounds the viscosity tends to increase via removal of water. In the present research, the effect of enzymes on evaporation of highly viscous starch industry waste waters was investigated. Wastewater samples were received from starch industry at pH of 4.8. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the investigation of factor effects on the behaviour of concentrate during evaporation. The RSM was prepared using quadratic face-centered central composite design (CCF). The evaporation performance was evaluated by monitoring the viscosity of fluid during processing. Based on viscosity curves, the addition of glucoamylase reduced the viscosity during evaporation. This assumption was confirmed by CCF, suggesting that the use of starch decomposing glucoamylase allowed evaporation of the starchy wastewater to a relatively high total solid concentration without a detrimental increase in the viscosity. The results suggest that use of enzymes for reduction of viscosity during the evaporation allows more effective concentration of the wastewater and thereby recovery of potable water.

Keywords: viscous, wastewater, treatment, evaporation, concentration

Procedia PDF Downloads 244

Authors: Hsin Lee, Hsuan Lee

Abstract:

Legal artificial intelligence (LegalAI) has been increasing applications within legal systems, propelled by advancements in natural language processing (NLP). Compared with general documents, legal case documents are typically long text sequences with intrinsic logical structures. Most existing language models have difficulty understanding the long-distance dependencies between different structures. Another unique challenge is that while the Judiciary of Taiwan has released legal judgments from various levels of courts over the years, there remains a significant obstacle in the lack of labeled datasets. This deficiency makes it difficult to train models with strong generalization capabilities, as well as accurately evaluate model performance. To date, models in Taiwan have yet to be specifically trained on judgment data. Given these challenges, this research proposes a Longformer-based pre-trained language model explicitly devised for retrieving similar judgments in Taiwanese legal documents. This model is trained on a self-constructed dataset, which this research has independently labeled to measure judgment similarities, thereby addressing a void left by the lack of an existing labeled dataset for Taiwanese judgments. This research adopts strategies such as early stopping and gradient clipping to prevent overfitting and manage gradient explosion, respectively, thereby enhancing the model's performance. The model in this research is evaluated using both the dataset and the Average Entropy of Offense-charged Clustering (AEOC) metric, which utilizes the notion of similar case scenarios within the same type of legal cases. Our experimental results illustrate our model's significant advancements in handling similarity comparisons within extensive legal judgments. By enabling more efficient retrieval and analysis of legal case documents, our model holds the potential to facilitate legal research, aid legal decision-making, and contribute to the further development of LegalAI in Taiwan.

Keywords: legal artificial intelligence, computation and language, language model, Taiwanese legal cases

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Sang-Woo Kim, Young-Seon Lee

Abstract:

An important concern in metal forming, even at elevated temperatures, is whether a desired deformation can be accomplished without any failure of the material. A detailed understanding of the critical condition for crack initiation provides not only the workability limit of a material but also a guide-line for process design. This paper describes the utilization of ductile fracture criteria in conjunction with the finite element method (FEM) for predicting the onset of fracture in warm metal working processes of magnesium alloy sheets. Critical damage values for various ductile fracture criteria were determined from uniaxial tensile tests and were expressed as the function of strain rate and temperature. In order to find the best criterion for failure prediction, Erichsen cupping tests under isothermal conditions and FE simulations combined with ductile fracture criteria were carried out. Based on the plastic deformation histories obtained from the FE analyses of the Erichsen cupping tests and the critical damage value curves, the initiation time and location of fracture were predicted under a bi-axial tensile condition. The results were compared with experimental results and the best criterion was recommended. In addition, the proposed methodology was used to predict the onset of fracture in non-isothermal deep drawing processes using an irregular shaped blank, and the results were verified experimentally.

Keywords: magnesium, AZ31 alloy, ductile fracture, FEM, sheet forming, Erichsen cupping test

Procedia PDF Downloads 373

Authors: Eunhwa Jun

Abstract:

This case report describes the misdiagnosis of a patient who presented with right arm pain as cervical disc herniation. The patient had several underlying conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, a history of lung cancer with left lower lobe lobectomy, and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. An external cervical spine MRI revealed central protruding discs at the C4-5-6-7 levels. Despite treatment with medication and epidural blocks, the patient's pain persisted. A C-RACZ procedure was planned, but the patient's pain had worsened before admission. Using ultrasound, a brachial plexus block was attempted, but the brachial plexus eluded clear visualization, hinting at underlying neurological complexities. Chest CT revealed a new, large soft tissue mass in the right supraclavicular region with adjacent right axillary lymphadenopathy, leading to the diagnosis of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma. Palliative radiation therapy and chemotherapy were initiated as part of the treatment plan, and the patient's pain score decreased to 3 out of 10 on the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), revealing the pain was due to metastatic lung cancer.

Keywords: supraclavicula brachial plexus metastasis, cervical disc herniation, brachial plexus block, metastatic lung cancer

Procedia PDF Downloads 44

Authors: Elizelle Juanee Cilliers

Abstract:

Recent planning thinking has laid the foundations for a general sense of best practice that aims to enhance the quality of life, suggesting an open and participatory process. It is accepted that integration of top-down and bottom-up approaches may lead to efficient action in environments and sustainable planning and development, although it is also accepted that such an integrated approach has various challenges of implementation. A flexible framework in which the strengths of both the top-down and bottom-up approaches were explored in this research, based on the EU Interreg VALUE Added project and five case studies where student education and student involvement played a crucial role within the participation process of the redesign of the urban environment. It was found that international student workshops were an effective tool to integrate bottom-up and top-down structures, as it acted as catalyst for communication, interaction, creative design, quick transformation from planning to implementation, building social cohesion, finding mutual ground between stakeholders and thus enhancing overall quality of life and quality of environments. It offered a good alternative to traditional participation modes and created a platform for an integrative planning approach. The role and importance of education and integration within the urban environment were emphasized.

Keywords: top-down, bottom-up, flexible, student involvement

Procedia PDF Downloads 210

Authors: Raluca Ionela Maxim

Abstract:

Designing a gender responsive Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) mobile game based learning solution (mGBL) is a challenge in terms of content, gamification level and equal engagement of girls and boys. The goal of this case study was to research and create a high-fidelity prototype design of a mobile game that contains role-models as avatars that guide and expose girls and boys to STEM learning content. For this research purpose it was applied the methodology of design sprint with five-phase process that combines design thinking principles. The technique of this methodology comprises smart interviews with STEM experts, mind-map creation, sketching, prototyping and usability testing of the interactive prototype of the gender responsive STEM mGBL. The results have shown that the effect of the avatar/role model had a positive impact. Therefore, by exposing students (boys and girls) to STEM role models in an mGBL tool is helpful for the decreasing of the gender inequalities in STEM fields.

Keywords: design thinking, design sprint, gender-responsive STEM education, mobile game based learning, role-models

Procedia PDF Downloads 135

Authors: Mohd Radzi Hilmi, Khairidzan Mohd Kamal, Che Azemin Mohd Zulfaezal, Ariffin Azrin Esmady

Abstract:

Purpose: Corneal curvature (CC) is an important anterior segment parameter. This study compared CC measurements conducted with two optical devices in phakic eyes. Methods: Sixty phakic eyes of 30 patients were enrolled in this study. CC was measured three times with the optical biometer and topography-keratometer Tomey AO-2000 (Tomey Corporation, Nagoya, Japan), then with the standard partial optical coherence interferometry (PCI) IOL Master (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) and data were statistically analysed. Results: The measurements resulted in a mean CC of 43.86 ± 1.57 D with Tomey AO-2000 and 43.84 ± 1.55 D with IOL Master. Distribution of data is normal, and no significance difference in CC values was detected (P = 0.952) between the two devices. Correlation between CC measurements was highly significant (r = 0. 99; P < 0.0001). The mean difference of CC values between devices was 0.017 D and 95% limit of agreement was -0.088 to 0.12. Duration taken for measurements with the standard biometer IOL Master was longer (55.17 ± 2.24 seconds) than with Tomey AO-2000 (39.88 ± 2.38 seconds) in automatic mode. Duration of manual measurement with Tomey AO-2000 in manual mode was the shortest (28.57 ± 2.71 seconds). Conclusion: In phakic eyes, CC measured with Tomey AO-2000 and IOL Master showed similar values, and high correlation was observed between these two devices. This shows that both devices can be used interchangeably. Tomey AO-2000 is better in terms of faster to operate and has its own topography systems.

Keywords: corneal topography, corneal curvature, IOL Master, Tomey AO2000

Procedia PDF Downloads 387

Authors: John Hardy

Abstract:

The domestic security environment in Europe has changed dramatically in recent years. Since January 2015, a significant number of domestic security threats that emerged in Europe were located in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. While some threats were detected in the planning phase, many also resulted in terrorist attacks. Authorities in all three countries instituted special or emergency measures to provide additional security to their populations. Each country combined an additional policing presence with a specific military operation to contribute to a comprehensive security response to domestic threats. This study presents a cross-case analysis of three countries’ civilian and military responses to domestic security threats in Europe. Each case study features a unique approach to combining civilian and military capabilities in similar domestic security operations during the same time period and threat environment. The research design focuses on five variables relevant to the relationship between civilian and military roles in each security response. These are the distinction between policing and military roles, the legal framework for the domestic deployment of military forces, prior experience in civil-military coordination, the institutional framework for threat assessments, and the level of public support for the domestic use of military forces. These variables examine the influence of domestic social, political, and legal factors on the design of combined civil-military operations in response to domestic security threats. Each case study focuses on a specific operation: Operation Vigilant Guard in Belgium, Operation Sentinel in France, and Operation Temperer in the United Kingdom. The results demonstrate that the level of distinction between policing and military roles and the existence of a clear and robust legal framework for the domestic use force by military personnel significantly influence the design and implementation of civilian and military roles in domestic security operations. The findings of this study indicate that Belgium, France and the United Kingdom experienced different design and implementation challenges for their domestic security operations. Belgium and France initially had less-developed legal frameworks for deploying the military in domestic security operations than the United Kingdom. This was offset by public support for enacting emergency measures and the strength of existing civil-military coordination mechanisms. The United Kingdom had a well-developed legal framework for integrating civilian and military capabilities in domestic security operations. However, its experiences in Ireland also made the government more sensitive to public perceptions regarding the domestic deployment of military forces.

Keywords: counter-terrorism, democracy, homeland security, intelligence, militarization, policing

Procedia PDF Downloads 142

Authors: Sara Rankohi, Lloyd Waugh

Abstract:

Construction sites are information saturated. Digitalization is hitting construction sites to meet the incredible demand of knowledge sharing and information documentations. From flying drones, 3D Lasers scanners, pocket mobile applications, to augmented reality glasses and smart helmet, visualization technologies help real-time information imposed straight onto construction professional’s field of vision. Although these technologies are very applicable and can have the direct impact on project cost and productivity, experience shows that only a minority of construction professionals quickly adapt themselves to benefit from them in practice. The majority of construction managers still tend to apply traditional construction management methods. This paper investigates a) current applications of visualization technologies in construction projects management, b) the direct effect of these technologies on productivity improvement and cost saving of a multi-residential building project via a case study on Mac Taggart Senior Care project located in Edmonton, Alberta. The research shows the imaged based technologies have a direct impact on improving project productivity and cost savings.

Keywords: image-based technologies, project management, cost, productivity improvement

Procedia PDF Downloads 361

Authors: Mohammed Abbas Al-Jumaili

Abstract:

There are some studies which have been conducted in resent years to investigate the possibility of producing high performance polymer concrete. However, despite the great important of this subject, very limited amount of literature is available about the strength and performance of this type of concrete in case using in rigid pavement highway. In this study, the possibility of producing high performance polymer concrete by using Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) emulsion with various (SBR) percents of 5,10 ,15, and 20 % by weight of cement has been investigated. The compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths and dynamic modulus of elasticity tests were conducted after age of 7 and 28 days for control without polymer and SBR concretes. A total of (30) cubes, (30) cylinders and (30) prisms were prepared using different types of concrete mixes. The AASHTO guide-1993 method was used to determine slab concrete thickness of rigid pavement highway in case of using various SBR polymer concrete mixture types. The research results indicate that the use of 10% SBR by weight of cement leads to produce high performance concrete especially with regard to mechanical properties and structural relative to corresponding control concrete.

Keywords: rigid pavement highway, styrene–butadiene rubber (SBR) latex, compressive test, splitting tensile test, flexural test and dynamic modulus of elasticity test

Procedia PDF Downloads 325

Authors: Kwame B. O. Amoah

Abstract:

This paper focuses on retrofitting an old existing office building to a net-zero energy building (NZEB). An existing small office building in Melbourne, Florida, was chosen as a case study to integrate state-of-the-art design strategies and energy-efficient building systems to improve building performance and reduce energy consumption. The study aimed to explore possible ways to maximize energy savings and renewable energy generation sources to cover the building's remaining energy needs necessary to achieve net-zero energy goals. A series of retrofit options were reviewed and adopted with some significant additional decision considerations. Detailed processes and considerations leading to zero energy are well documented in this study, with lessons learned adequately outlined. Based on building energy simulations, multiple design considerations were investigated, such as emerging state-of-the-art technologies, material selection, improvements to the building envelope, optimization of the HVAC, lighting systems, and occupancy loads analysis, as well as the application of renewable energy sources. The comparative analysis of simulation results was used to determine how specific techniques led to energy saving and cost reductions. The research results indicate this small office building can meet net-zero energy use after appropriate design manipulations and renewable energy sources.

Keywords: energy consumption, building energy analysis, energy retrofits, energy-efficiency

Procedia PDF Downloads 223

Authors: Ying-Jung Hsieh, Angela S. Huang, Chu-Ming Chiu, Yu-Min Chou, Chin-Hui Yang

Abstract:

Background and Objectives: Hepatitis A is primarily acquired by the fecal-oral route through person-to-person contact or ingestion of contaminated food or water. During 2010 to 2014, an average of 83 cases of locally-acquired disease was reported to Taiwan’s notifiable disease system. Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (TCDC) identified an outbreak of acute hepatitis A which began in June 2015. Of the 126 cases reported in 2015, 103 (82%) cases were reported during June–December and 95 cases (92%) of them were male. The average age of all male cases was 31 years (median, 29 years; range, 15–76 years). Among the 95 male cases, 49 (52%) were also infected with HIV, and all reported to have had sex with other men. To control this outbreak, TCDC launched a free hepatitis A vaccination program in January 2016 for close contacts of confirmed hepatitis A cases, including family members, sexual partners, and household contacts. Effect of the vaccination program was evaluated. Methods: All cases of hepatitis A reported to the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System were included. A case of hepatitis A was defined as a locally-acquired disease in a person who had acute clinical symptoms include fever, malaise, loss of appetite, nausea or abdominal discomfort compatible with hepatitis, and tested positive for anti-HAV IgM during June 2015 to June 2016 in Taiwan. The rate of case accumulation was calculated using a simple regression model. Results: During January–June 2016, there were 466 cases of hepatitis A reported; of the 243 (52%) who were also infected with HIV, 232 (95%) had a history of having sex with men. Of the 346 cases that were followed up, 259 (75%) provided information on contacts but only 14 (5%) of them provided the name of their sexual partners. Among the 602 contacts reported, 349 (58%) were family members, 14 (2%) were sexual partners, and 239 (40%) were other household contacts. Among the 602 contacts eligible for free hepatitis A vaccination, 440 (73%) received the vaccine. There were 87 (25%) cases that refused to disclose their close contacts. The average case accumulation rate during January–June 2016 was 21.7 cases per month, which was 6.8 times compared to the average case accumulation rate during June–December 2015 of 3.2 cases per month. Conclusions: Despite vaccination program aimed to provide free hepatitis A vaccine to close contacts of hepatitis A patients, the outbreak continued and even gained momentum in transmission. Refusal by hepatitis A patients to provide names of their close contacts and rejection of contacts to take the hepatitis A vaccine may have contributed to the poor effect of the program. Targeted vaccination efforts of all MSM may be needed to control the outbreak among this population in the short term. In the long term, universal vaccination program is needed to prevent the infection of hepatitis A.

Keywords: hepatitis A, HIV, men who have sex with men, vaccination

Procedia PDF Downloads 256

Authors: Reynante E. Autida, Maria Ana T. Quimbo

Abstract:

The chemistry education curriculum provides an excellent avenue where students learn the principles and concepts in chemistry and at the same time, as a central science, better understand related fields. However, the teaching approach used by teachers affects student learning. Cased-based teaching (CBT) is one of the various forms of inductive method. The teacher starts with specifics then proceeds to the general principles. The students’ role in inductive learning shifts from being passive in the traditional approach to being active in learning. In this paper, the effects of Small-Group Case-Based Teaching (SGCBT) on college chemistry students’ achievement, critical thinking, and attitude toward chemistry including the relationships between each of these variables were determined. A quasi-experimental counterbalanced design with pre-post control group was used to determine the effects of SGCBT on Engineering students of four intact classes (two treatment groups and two control groups) in one of the State Universities in Mindanao. The independent variables are the type of teaching approach (SGCBT versus pure lecture-discussion teaching or PLDT) while the dependent variables are chemistry achievement (exam scores) and scores in critical thinking and chemistry attitude. Both Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and t-tests (within and between groups and gain scores) were used to compare the effects of SGCBT versus PLDT on students’ chemistry achievement, critical thinking, and attitude toward chemistry, while Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationships between each of the variables. Results show that the use of SGCBT fosters positive attitude toward chemistry and provides some indications as well on improved chemistry achievement of students compared with PLDT. Meanwhile, the effects of PLDT and SGCBT on critical thinking are comparable. Furthermore, correlational analysis and focus group interviews indicate that the use of SGCBT not only supports development of positive attitude towards chemistry but also improves chemistry achievement of students. Implications are provided in view of the recent findings on SGCBT and topics for further research are presented as well.

Keywords: case-based teaching, small-group learning, chemistry cases, chemistry achievement, critical thinking, chemistry attitude

Procedia PDF Downloads 297

Authors: Anusha Vaddiraj Pallapu

Abstract:

Measuring urban sustainable development is at the forefront in contributing to overall sustainability, and it refers to attaining social equity, environmental protection and minimizing the impacts of urbanization. Assessing performance of urban issues ranging from larger consumption of natural resources by humans in terms of lifestyle to creating a polluted nearby environment, social and even economic dimensions of sustainability major issues observed such as water quality, transportation, management of solid waste and traffic pollution. However, relying on the framework of the project to do the goals of sustainable development or minimization of urban impacts through management practices is not enough to deal with the present urban issues. The aim of the sustainability is to know how severely the resources are depleted because of human consumption and how issues are characterized. The paper aims to assign benchmarks for the selected sustainability indicators for research, and analysis is done through multivariate analysis in Indian context a case of Nagpur city to identify the play role of each urban issues in the overall sustainability. The main objectives of this paper are to examine the indicators over by time basis on various scenarios and how benchmarking is used, what and which categories of values should be considered as the performance of indicators function.

Keywords: environmental sustainability indicators, principal component analysis, urban sustainability, urban clusters, benchmarking

Procedia PDF Downloads 342

Authors: Tochukwu Timothy Okoli, Devi Datt Tewari

Abstract:

The high rate of Fintech adoption has not transmitted to greater financial inclusion and development in Africa. This problem is attributed to poor Fintech diversification and usefulness in the continent. This concept is referred to as the Fintech depth of penetration in this study. The study, therefore, assessed its determinants and growth process in a panel of three emergings, twenty-four frontiers and five fragile African economies disaggregated with dummies over the period 2004-2018 to allow for heterogeneity between groups. The System Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) technique reveals that the average depth of Mobile banking and automated teller machine (ATM) is a dynamic heterogeneity process. Moreover, users' previous experiences/compatibility, trial-ability/income, and financial development were the major factors that raise its usefulness, whereas perceived risk, financial openness, and inflation rate significantly limit its usefulness. The growth rate of Mobile banking, ATM, and Internet banking in 2018 is, on average 41.82, 0.4, and 20.8 per cent respectively greater than its average rates in 2004. These greater averages after the 2009 financial crisis suggest that countries resort to Fintech as a risk-mitigating tool. This study, therefore, recommends greater Fintech diversification through improved literacy, institutional development, financial liberalization, and continuous innovation.

Keywords: depth of fintech, emerging Africa, financial technology, internet banking, mobile banking

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: Hyung-Jin Kim, Dae-Wan Kim, Moo-Yeon Lee

Abstract:

The objective of this study is to experimentally investigate the heat transfer characteristics of 200 W class woofer speaker units with the input voice signals. The temperature and heat transfer characteristics of the 200 W class woofer speaker unit were experimentally tested with the several input voice signals such as 1500 Hz, 2500 Hz, and 5000 Hz respectively. From the experiments, it can be observed that the temperature of the woofer speaker unit including the voice-coil part increases with a decrease in input voice signals. Also, the temperature difference in measured points of the voice coil is increased with decrease of the input voice signals. In addition, the heat transfer characteristics of the woofer speaker in case of the input voice signal of 1500 Hz is 40% higher than that of the woofer speaker in case of the input voice signal of 5000 Hz at the measuring time of 200 seconds. It can be concluded from the experiments that initially the temperature of the voice signal increases rapidly with time, after a certain period of time it increases exponentially. Also during this time dependent temperature change, it can be observed that high voice signal is stable than low voice signal.

Keywords: heat transfer, temperature, voice coil, woofer speaker

Procedia PDF Downloads 360

Authors: Lisa M. Coleman

Abstract:

The focus on disability, LGBTQ+, and internationalization has certainly been the subject of much research and programmatic across higher education. Many universities have entered into global partnerships with varying success and challenges across the various areas, including laws and policies. Attentiveness to the specific nuances of global inclusion, diversity, equity, belonging, and access (GIDBEA) and the leadership to support these efforts is crucial to the development of longstanding success across the programs. There have been a number of shifts related to diversification across student and alumni bodies. These shifts include but are not limited to how people identify gender, race, and sexuality (and the intersections across such identities), as well as trends across emerging and diverse disability communities. NYU is the most international campus in the United States, with the most campuses and sites outside of its county of origin and the most international students and exchange programs than any other university. As a result, the ongoing work related to GIDEBA is at the center of much of the leadership, administrative, and research efforts. Climate assessment work across NYU’s diverse global campus landscape will serve as the foundation to exemplify best practices related to data collection and dissemination, community and stakeholder engagement, and effective implementation of innovative strategies to close gap areas as identified. The data (quantitative and qualitative) and related research findings represent data collected from close to 22,000 stakeholders across the NYU campuses. The case study centers on specific methodological considerations, data integrity, stakeholder engagement from across student-faculty, staff, and alumni constituencies, and tactics to advance specific GIDBEA initiatives related to navigating shifting landscapes. Design thinking, incubation, and co-creation strategies have been employed to expand, leverage, actualize, and implement GIDBEA strategies that are – concrete, measurable, differentiated, and specific to global sites and regions and emerging trends.

Keywords: disability, LGBTQ+, DEI, research, case studies

Procedia PDF Downloads 105

Authors: Kuan-Wei Chen, Chien-Wei Chen, Tai-Ling Chang, Nan-Cheng Chen, Ching-Lin Hsieh, Gong-Hong Lin

Abstract:

Background and Purposes: Deficits in sustained attention are common in patients with schizophrenia. Such impairment can limit patients to effectively execute daily activities and affect the efficacy of rehabilitation. The aims of this study were to examine the test-retest agreement, random measurement error, and practice effect of the Continuous Performance Test-Identical Pairs (CPT-IP) (a commonly used sustained attention test) in patients with schizophrenia. The results can provide empirical evidence for clinicians and researchers to apply a sustained attention test with sound psychometric properties in schizophrenia patients. Methods: We recruited patients with chronic schizophrenia to be assessed twice with 1 week interval using CPT-IP. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to examine the test-retest agreement. The percentage of minimal detectable change (MDC%) was used to examine the random measurement error. Moreover, the standardized response mean (SRM) was used to examine the practice effect. Results: A total of 56 patients participated in this study. Our results showed that the ICC was 0.82, MDC% was 47.4%, and SRMs were 0.36 for the CPT-IP. Conclusion: Our results indicate that CPT-IP has acceptable test-retests agreement, substantial random measurement error, and small practice effect in patients with schizophrenia. Therefore, to avoid overestimating patients’ changes in sustained attention, we suggest that clinicians interpret the change scores of CPT-IP conservatively in their routine repeated assessments.

Keywords: schizophrenia, sustained attention, CPT-IP, reliability

Procedia PDF Downloads 304

Authors: Abdulrahman M. Qahtani, Gary. B. Wills, Andy. M. Gravell

Abstract:

Communicating and managing customers’ requirements in software development projects play a vital role in the software development process. While it is difficult to do so locally, it is even more difficult to communicate these requirements over distributed boundaries and to convey them to multiple distribution customers. This paper discusses the communication of multiple distribution customers’ requirements in the context of customised software products. The main purpose is to understand the challenges of communicating and managing customisation requirements across distributed boundaries. We propose a model for Communicating Customisation Requirements of Multi-Clients in a Distributed Domain (CCRD). Thereafter, we evaluate that model by presenting the findings of a case study conducted with a company with customisation projects for 18 distributed customers. Then, we compare the outputs of the real case process and the outputs of the CCRD model using simulation methods. Our conjecture is that the CCRD model can reduce the challenge of communication requirements over distributed organisational boundaries, and the delay in decision making and in the entire customisation process time.

Keywords: customisation software products, global software engineering, local decision making, requirement engineering, simulation model

Procedia PDF Downloads 430

Authors: Derradji Chebli, Abdallah Bouguettoucha, Zoubir Manaa, Amrane Abdeltif

Abstract:

Pharmaceutical products, such as sulfamethoxazole (SMX) are rejected in the environment at trace level by human and animals (ng/L to mg/L), in their original form or as byproducts. Antibiotics are toxic contaminants for the aquatic environment, owing to their adverse effects on the aquatic life and humans. Even at low concentrations, they can negatively impact biological water treatment leading to the proliferation of antibiotics-resistant pathogens. It is therefore of major importance to develop efficient methods to limit their presence in the aquatic environment. In this aim, advanced oxidation processes (AOP) appear relevant compared to other methods, since they are based on the production of highly reactive free radicals, and especially ●OH. The objective of this work was to evaluate the degradation of SMX by microwave-assisted Fenton reaction (MW/Fe/H2O2). Hydrogen peroxide and ferrous ions concentrations, as well as the microwave power were optimized. The results showed that the SMX degradation by MW/Fe/H2O2 followed a pseudo-first order kinetic. The treatment of 20 mg/L initial SMX by the Fenton reaction in the presence of microwave showed the positive impact of this latter owing to the higher degradation yields observed in a reduced reaction time if compared to the conventional Fenton reaction, less than 5 min for a total degradation. In addition, increasing microwave power increased the degradation kinetics. Irrespective of the application of microwave, the optimal pH for the Fenton reaction remained 3. Examination of the impact of the ionic strength showed that carbonate and sulfate anions increased the rate of SMX degradation.

Keywords: antibiotic, degradation, elimination, fenton, microwave, polluant

Procedia PDF Downloads 399

Authors: Mohammed Elsayed Lotfy Elsayed Abouzeid, Tomonobu Senjyu

Abstract:

A novel multi-objective park and ride control approach is presented in this research. Park and ride will encourage the owners of the vehicles to leave their cars in the nearest points (on the edges of the crowded cities) and use public transportation facilities (train, bus, metro, or mon-rail) to reach their work inside the crowded city. The proposed control scheme is used to design electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) to charge 1000 electric vehicles (EV) during their owners' work time. Cairo, Egypt is used as a case study. Photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) are used to meet the EVCS demand. Two multi-objective optimization techniques (MOGA and epsilon-MOGA) are utilized to get the optimal sizes of PV and BESS so as to meet the load demand and minimize the total life cycle cost. Detailed analysis and comparison are held to investigate the performance of the proposed control scheme using MATLAB.

Keywords: Battery Energy Storage System, Electric Vehicle, Park and Ride, Photovoltaic, Multi-objective

Procedia PDF Downloads 144

Authors: Majid Farsadrooh, Najmeh Sabbaghi, Seyed Mohammad Mostashari, Abolhasan Moradi

Abstract:

Phenolic compounds are chief environmental contaminants on account of their hazardous and toxic nature on human health. The preparation of sensitive and potent chemosensors to monitor emerging pollution in water and effluent samples has received great consideration. A novel and versatile nanocomposite sensor based on poly pyrogallol is presented for the first time in this study, and its electrochemical behavior for simultaneous detection of hydroquinone (HQ), catechol (CT), and resorcinol (RS) in the presence of nitrite is evaluated. The physicochemical characteristics of the fabricated nanocomposite were investigated by emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET). The electrochemical response of the proposed sensor to the detection of HQ, CT, RS, and nitrite is studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The kinetic characterization of the prepared sensor showed that both adsorption and diffusion processes can control reactions at the electrode. In the optimized conditions, the new chemosensor provides a wide linear range of 0.5-236.3, 0.8-236.3, 0.9-236.3, and 1.2-236.3 μM with a low limit of detection of 21.1, 51.4, 98.9, and 110.8 nM (S/N = 3) for HQ, CT and RS, and nitrite, respectively. Remarkably, the electrochemical sensor has outstanding selectivity, repeatability, and stability and is successfully employed for the detection of RS, CT, HQ, and nitrite in real water samples with the recovery of 96.2%–102.4%, 97.8%-102.6%, 98.0%–102.4% and 98.4%–103.2% for RS, CT, HQ, and nitrite, respectively. These outcomes illustrate that poly pyrogallol is a promising candidate for effective electrochemical detection of dihydroxybenzene isomers in the presence of nitrite.

Keywords: electrochemical sensor, poly pyrogallol, phenolic compounds, simultaneous determination

Procedia PDF Downloads 68

Authors: Arman Ameen, Mathias Cehlin

Abstract:

The use of Building Energy Simulation (BES) software has increased in the last two decades, parallel to the development of increased computing power and easy to use software applications. This type of software is primarily used to simulate the energy use and the indoor environment for a building. The rapid development of these types of software has raised their level of user-friendliness, better parameter input options and the increased possibility of analysis, both for a single building component or an entire building. This, in turn, has led to many researchers utilizing BES software in their research in various degrees. The aim of this paper is to carry out a literature review concerning the use of the BES software IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA ICE) in the scientific community. The focus of this paper will be specifically the use of the software for whole building energy simulation, number and types of articles and publications dates, the area of application, types of parameters used, the location of the studied building, type of building, type of analysis and solution methodology. Another aspect that is examined, which is of great interest, is the method of validations regarding the simulation results. The results show that there is an upgoing trend in the use of IDA ICE and that researchers use the software in their research in various degrees depending on case and aim of their research. The satisfactory level of validation of the simulations carried out in these articles varies depending on the type of article and type of analysis.

Keywords: building simulation, IDA ICE, literature review, validation

Procedia PDF Downloads 136

Authors: Kerrin Burnell

Abstract:

In a world of increasingly technology-dependent students, the English language classroom should ideally keep up with developments to keep students engaged as much as possible. Unfortunately, as is the case in Oman, funding is not always adequate to ensure students have the most up to date technology, and most institutions are still reliant on paper-based textbooks. In order to try and bridge the gap between the technology available (smartphones) and textbooks, augmented reality (AR) technology can be utilized to enhance classroom, homework, and extracurricular activities. AR involves overlaying media (videos, images etc) over the top of physical objects (posters, book pages etc) and then sharing the media. This case study involved introducing students to a freely available entry level AR app called Aurasma. Students were asked to augment their English textbooks, word walls, research project posters, and extracurricular posters. Through surveys, interviews and an analysis of time spent accessing the different media, a determination of the appropriateness of the technology for the classroom was determined. Results indicate that the use of AR has positive effects on many aspects of the English classroom. Increased student engagement, total time spent on task, interaction, and motivation were evident, along with a decrease in technology-related anxiety. As it is proving very difficult to get tablets or even laptops in classrooms in Oman, these preliminary results indicate that many positive outcomes will come from introducing students to this innovative technology.

Keywords: augmented reality, classroom technology, classroom innovation, engagement

Procedia PDF Downloads 382

Authors: Katarzyna Kamińska

Abstract:

Joint physical custody means that both parents after divorce or separation have the right and responsibility to take care of the child on the daily basis. In a joint physical custody arrangement, the child spends substantial, but not necessarily equal, time with both parents. Joint physical custody can be symmetric care arrangement or not. However, it is accepted in the jurisprudence that the best interests of the child is served when the child spends at least 35% of the time during a two-week period with each parent. Joint physical custody, also known as joint, dual, or shared residence, is a challenge in contemporary family law. It has its supporters and opponents. On the one hand, joint physical custody is beneficial because it provides children with frequent and continuous contact with a mother and father after their divorce or separation. On the other hand, it isn’t good for children to be shuttled back and forth between two residences. Children need a home base. The conclusion is therefore that joint physical custody can’t be seen as a panacea for all post-divorce or post-separation parenting cases and the court shouldn’t automatically make such a determination. The possibility to award this arrangement requires the court to carefully weigh the pros and cons of each individual case. It is difficult to say that joint physical custody is better than single physical custody in any case. It depends on the circumstances and needs of each family. It appears that an individual approach is going to be much better as opposed to a one-size-fits-all idea.

Keywords: joint physical custody, shared residence, dual residence, the best interests of the child

Procedia PDF Downloads 95

Authors: Triza Edwar Fawzi Deif

Abstract:

In the process of urbanization in China, new rural construction is on the ascendant, which is becoming more and more popular. Under the driving effect of rural urbanization, the house pattern and tectonic methods of traditional vernacular houses have shown great differences from the family structure and values of contemporary peasant families. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a prototype, form and strategy to make a balance between the traditional memory and modern functional requirements. In order for research to combine the regional culture with modern life, under the situation of the current batch production of new rural residences, Badie village, in Zhejiang province, is taken as the case. This paper aims to put forward a prototype which can not only meet the demand of modern life but also ensure the continuation of traditional culture and historical context for the new rural dwellings design. This research not only helps to extend the local context in the construction of the new site but also contributes to the fusion of old and new rural dwellings in the old site construction. Through the study and research of this case, the research methodology and results can be drawn as reference for the new rural construction in other areas.

Keywords: steel slag, co-product, primary coating, steel aggregate capital, rural areas, rural planning, rural governance village, design strategy, new rural dwellings, regional context, regional expression

Procedia PDF Downloads 53

Authors: Turkyh Alotibi, Ghadah Obeid Alrasheed, Afaf Saad Alshaibani, Moneerah Obeid Alrasheed

Abstract:

This study explores factors that influence MBA enrolment and investigates strategic prerequisites for developing a viable online MBA program at Alfaisal University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It compares students’ perspectives about online MBA against the face-to-face on-site MBA program. With the self-administered online survey tool, we collected data from 52 first- and second-year MBA students enrolled at Alfaisal University for the 2021 Fall Semester. The data from the survey questionnaire, distributed at the university’s College of Business, reports that approximately 60% of MBA students prefer face-to-face, in-person courses. Their preference for considering an online MBA, primarily rests on two factors, the university’s ranking (68% would enroll for an online MBA program offered by Harvard Business School) and 34.07% for the program timing (timetable). Alfaisal University’s outstanding ranking makes it viable to offer an online MBA either independently or in collaboration with other internationally reputed business schools. The paper contains useful insights to set “the strategic agenda for Online MBA program” in no accredited University but with a good reputation. The information from the case study could be useful for supporting the strategic intent to start an Online MBA program in Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: online MBA, online education demand, university management, course evaluation, blended learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 127

Authors: L. G. Karancsi

Abstract:

The research was set up on chernozem soil at the Látókép AGTC MÉK research area of the University of Debrecen in Hungary. We examined the yield, the yield production per 1kg NPK fertilizer and the water and nutrient utilization of hybrid PR37N01 and PR37M81 in 2013. We found that PR37N01 produced the most yield at the level of N120+P (17,476kg ha-1) while PR37M81 reached the highest yield at level N150+PK (16,754kg ha-1). Studies related to yield production per 1kg NPK indicated that the best results were achieved at level N30+PK compared to the control treatment. Yield production per 1kg NPK was17.6kg kg-1 by P37N01 and 44.2kg kg-1 by PR37M81. By comparing the water utilization of hybrids we found that the worst water utilization results were reached in the control treatment (PR37N01: 26.2kg mm-1, PR37M81: 19.5kg mm-1). The best water utilization values were produced at level N120+PK in the case of hybrid PR37N01 (32.1kg mm-1) and at N150+PK in the case of hybrid PR37M81 (30.8kg mm-1). We established the values of the nutrient reaction and the fertilizer optimum of hybrids. We discovered a strong relationship between the amount of fertilizer applied and the yield produced (r2= 0.8228–0.9515). The best nutrient response was induced by hybrid PR37N01, while the weakest results were reached by hybrid PR37M81.

Keywords: hybrid, maize, nutrient, yield, water utilization

Procedia PDF Downloads 413